Financial Comparison: Express Scripts (ESRX) & Its Peers

Express Scripts (NASDAQ: ESRX) is one of 127 public companies in the “MEDICAL CARE” industry, but how does it contrast to its peers? We will compare Express Scripts to similar businesses based on the strength of its valuation, analyst recommendations, earnings, dividends, risk, profitability and institutional ownership.

Risk & Volatility

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Express Scripts has a beta of 0.94, suggesting that its share price is 6% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Express Scripts’ peers have a beta of 1.25, suggesting that their average share price is 25% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings for Express Scripts and its peers, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings

Hold Ratings

Buy Ratings

Strong Buy Ratings

Rating Score

Express Scripts

2

12

5

0

2.16

Express Scripts Competitors

714

3436

5285

127

2.50

Express Scripts presently has a consensus target price of $82.65, indicating a potential upside of 11.60%. As a group, “MEDICAL CARE” companies have a potential upside of 6.71%. Given Express Scripts’ higher possible upside, equities analysts clearly believe Express Scripts is more favorable than its peers.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Express Scripts and its peers revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue

Net Income

Price/Earnings Ratio

Express Scripts

$100.06 billion

$4.52 billion

9.43

Express Scripts Competitors

$7.60 billion

$240.26 million

-12,529.74

Express Scripts has higher revenue and earnings than its peers. Express Scripts is trading at a higher price-to-earnings ratio than its peers, indicating that it is currently more expensive than other companies in its industry.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

89.4% of Express Scripts shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 60.8% of shares of all “MEDICAL CARE” companies are owned by institutional investors. 0.7% of Express Scripts shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 15.9% of shares of all “MEDICAL CARE” companies are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Express Scripts and its peers’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.